On July 28-29, 2020, CLDP, in collaboration with the Honduran Ministries of Customs and Economy, launched a three-part virtual series on Advance Ruling Best Practices for more than 60 government officials and private sector representatives.

Inefficient agency coordination and disjointed publication of information collectively reduce the efficacy and transparency of the regulatory process in Honduras, further engendering distrust between the private and public sectors. Moreover, advance ruling decisions issued by the Honduran Customs Authority are not published in a widely accessible manner, hindering traders from referencing past decisions. To address these areas of need, CLDP is conducting a series of technical workshops to encourage broad publication of advance ruling decisions, ensure consistent valuation practices, and facilitate uniform implementation of final decisions across Honduran points of entry. To continue CLDP’s efforts of encouraging regional integration and coordination across Central American governments, representatives from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Costa Rica will participate in the series sharing experiences and lessons learned in implementing their respective advanced ruling processes.

Honduran government participants included representatives from the Ministries of Customs, Economic Development, Finances, Infrastructure, National Agri-Food Health and Safety Service, and the Health Regulation Agency. They were joined by their counterparts from the Costa Rican, Guatemalan, and Salvadoran Ministries of Economy and Customs. Private sector participants included representatives from the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise, the American Chamber of Commerce in Honduras, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico.

The first workshop, “Part I – Publication,” focused on the importance of transparently publishing decisions on the classification, origin, or customs value of the goods in question. Following opening remarks from Honduran Customs Commissioner Juan Jose Vides and Director of Economic Integration & Trade Policy Jerónima Urbina, the Ministry of Economic Development updated participants on recent and ongoing trade facilitation efforts through CONFACO, the Honduran interagency Trade Facilitation Committee. Our CBP expert then provided a brief introduction to the Advance Ruling requirements set forth in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, as well as the process for requesting an advance declaration in the U.S. Subsequent presentations and interactive discussions from regional colleagues showcased best practices to consider as the Honduran government strengthens its processes to safeguard confidential business information and transparently publish advanced ruling decisions. The workshop concluded with the Secretariat for Economic Integration in Central America (SIECA) showcasing tools and platforms available to Central American governments to encourage greater regional coordination in the transparent publication of advance ruling decisions. This workshop is part of a multiphase effort to promote transparency, cooperation, and coordination in the Honduran government, and to improve interregional trade across Central America.